Published 05:29 p.m., Friday, June 15, 2012

School's out and the official start of summer's only a few days away, which means we're in peak moving season.

Choosing a reputable mover just might rank as your most important decision right after picking a new place to live. It can be a nerve-wracking experience wondering if your furniture and household goods are going to be delivered safe and sound to your new digs.

The moving business has its share of bad actors. After all, it's not a particularly tough field to enter. Buy an old U-Haul truck, place an ad on the Internet and you're pretty much in business.

But Texas movers are required to be registered with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, while interstate movers must be registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation. So, first and foremost, get the mover's DMV or DOT registration number, which is required to be displayed on moving trucks. Then verify that the number is legitimate, either at
txdmv.gov or at
www.protectyourmove.gov.

Texas DMV received 449 complaints about movers in its last fiscal year. Sixty percent of those complaints were about unlicensed movers.

“The unlicensed mover is not going to be following the law,” says Bill Harbeson, DMV's enforcement director. “One, he's unlicensed, and two, he's going to have contracts or business tactics that leave the consumer open for being taken advantage of.”

DMV and the Southwest Movers Association lately have been warning consumers about “illegal and unethical, fly-by-night moving operators” who “prey on unsuspecting Texans,” according to John D. Esparza, the SMA's executive director.

Transporting household goods is viewed by many as a commodity, so consumers are often motivated to go with the mover offering the lowest price. That isn't necessarily a smart approach, and it ultimately may turn out to be a quite expensive choice.

An unscrupulous mover may advertise a low flat rate fee for a move. Once the items are loaded on the truck and driven to the new residence, though, the mover will present a bill with a price that wasn't agreed upon. To get their belongings, the consumer has to pay the price in cash, otherwise the mover threatens to take the goods to some out-of-state warehouse, Harbeson said.

“This is a very unfortunate event and many consumers feel their only recourse is to pay the money,” Better Business Bureau spokeswoman Kristi Peña said in an email. If you've got a contract, she suggested contacting the police.

That's because the threat of being charged with a crime might be enough to convince the mover to unload the goods. An unlicensed mover can be charged with a misdemeanor. If it's a repeat offender with two convictions, they could face up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000 under a state law that took effect in September.

Two Houston-based movers were arrested earlier this spring for what investigators called “hostage moves.” They would advertise $600 for a move. But in tiny print in the contract, Harbeson said, they would say that anything made out of wood or electronic equipment would be shrink-wrapped.

“So it was very common for a $600 move to become $6,000,” he added. Those Houston movers allegedly operated in other cities, including San Antonio.

It's important to know the types of estimates a mover can provide, Peña said. Some charge by the hour. Others will provide “not-to-exceed contracts,” which essentially mean a move will not cost above a certain amount.

Clint Adams, president of San Antonio's Lone Star Relocation Services Ltd., said he offers customers binding contracts so there won't be any hidden charges that arise later in the move.

“We'll go out and do a visual (inspection) and know exactly what it is, and we'll guarantee that price,” Adams said. “That's whether you're moving locally, interstate, intrastate or overseas.”

In fact, a mover who doesn't offer or agree to an onsite inspection should be a red flag, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Another warning sign: the mover has no local address listed on their website or in ads. Chris Rullo, owner of San Antonio's Budget Movers Inc., recommends consumers visit a mover's offices. Not only does that allow the consumer to do some research on the mover, it gives them the opportunity to purchase packing materials, Rullo said.

Both Rullo and Adams warned of Internet brokers who act as middlemen. They simply book the move and then call a local mover to handle the move. The broker has no liability, Rullo said.

“You just don't know who's showing up at your door,” he said. If you opt to go with a moving broker, make sure they list a motor carrier number in their advertisements. Brokers also must issue written estimates if they provide estimates, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration advises.